Cobra Skulls were hatched back in 2005 in the seedy, sweltering snakepit that is Reno, Nevada. Before we go any further, stop and think for a second: what kind of punk rock band comes outta Reno? Terrifying, right? They started out as three friends who met at the University of Nevada and wanted to play music just for fun. For some members it was their first time in a band or even playing an instrument, but that didn’t hold the young trio back in the least bit. Right away Cobra Skulls were packing basements, house shows, warehouses, coffee shops… basically anywhere and everywhere in Reno.

But any band worth their salt is gonna aspire to take their music beyond their own little scene—even if it is “The Biggest Little City In The World”—and it wasn’t long before Cobra Skulls were sweeping into neighboring towns like a desert dust storm. It was at about that time that they hooked up with the small punk label, Red Scare Industries, who spotted the young band at a show in San Francisco. What resulted was the release of their debut LP, Sitting Army, which set big things into motion for the band. They were an immediate hit with punk rockers and the record was a true breakout, but some didn’t know what to make of this band with a weird name from a weird place. People were anxious to apply a label and reference point to Cobra Skulls: “They’re Rockabilly” or “Is this folk-punk?” or “Reminds me of the Misfits”, and so on. Fact is, Cobra Skulls are a dynamic band that draw from myriad places to make up their quirky patchwork brand of punk rock.

Maybe more important than their diverse sound is the band’s urgent message. While many left-leaning bands take aim at the usual suspects like the Bush Administration or rapacious oil companies, absolutely no one is safe from Cobra Skulls. These guys are pissed. Seriously pissed; and they don’t adhere to any party, “side”, or demagogue either. All their scathing social commentary is likely the result of bilingual frontman Devin Peralta being a first generation Argentinean-American who has been publicly tackling social issues since his days writing for a Spanish-speaking newspaper in Nevada. The topic of immigration is one that is addressed even in one of their latest songs, “ICE in the Night”, which tells the frightful story of a personal friend who was essentially kidnapped by the Feds in the middle of the night.

That aforementioned track and others like it will soon appear on their first release with Fat Wreck Chords; an EP titled Bringing The War Home. After releasing a couple LPs and EPs with Red Scare, Cobra Skulls knew it was time to take things to the next level. The band has already toured Europe twice and toured North America continuously with bands like Against Me!, Teenage Bottlerocket, The Menzingers, Broadway Calls, The Loved Ones, and more. But their success in the underground has compelled them to do more with their music and their recent signing has them already sharing stages with Fat Wreck heavyweights like NOFX and Me First and the Gimme Gimmes. Beyond the touring perks, Cobra Skulls have had the opportunity to have Fat Mike (label boss-man, himself) in the studio to produce Bringing The War Home. The cliché term “highly-anticipated” doesn’t quite describe how the punk rockers and weirdos of the world are eager to hear this new stuff from Cobra Skulls.

They’ll have their chance, and soon too. The band is about kick off yet another arduous punk rock odyssey that will take them all throughout Canada, through the industry shit-show that is CMJ, down to Florida for the convocation of alcoholics that is The Fest in Gainesville, and on through the USA with new label-mates Dead To Me. Cobra Skulls are relentless, and the fact that they’ve made it this far with their polarizing band moniker and unlikely hometown is proof that these kids are capable of doing anything with their music and words.